M Page #5

But l never...

l never even knew her

You never knew her?

And what about this one?

And this one?

You didn't know

this one either, huh?

Stop him, stop him...

Don't let him get away

Let me go!

You have no right

to treat me this way!

We'll show you what right we have!

You have no right to hold me here

Right? Someone like you

has no rights. Kill him!

Yes, kill him!

We must treat him like

a mad dog. Crush him!

You talk of rights.

You will get your rights

We are all law experts here

from 6 weeks in Tegel prison

to 15 years in Brandenburg

You will get your rights,

you will even get a lawyer

Everything will be done

according to the rule of law

A lawyer? A lawyer?

l don't need a lawyer

Who is accusing me?

You, maybe? You?

Just a moment. lf l were

you, sir, l'd keep quiet

Your life's at stake,

in case you didn't know it

Who are you?

l have the dubious honor

of being your defense counsel

But l'm afraid it won't be

much use to you

But, but... Do you want to kill

me? Murder me, just like that?

We just want to render you harmless

But you'll only be that way

when you are dead

But if you kill me,

it'll be cold-blooded murder!

l demand that you hand me over

to the police

l demand to be handed over to

the jurisdiction of common law

That would suit you, wouldn't it?

Then you'll invoke paragraph 51

And spend the rest of your life

in an institution at state expense

And then you'd escape,

or else get a pardon, then

there you are, free as air,

with a law-protected pass

because of mental illness,

off again, chasing little girls

We're not going

to let that happen

We must make you powerless.

You must disappear

Yes, disappear!

l can't help what l do

l can't help it, l can't...

The old story, we never

can help it in court

What do you know about it?

Who are you anyway?

Who are you? Criminals?

Are you proud of yourselves?

Proud of breaking safes

or cheating at cards?

Things you could just as

well keep your fingers off

You wouldn't need to do all that

if you'd learn a proper trade

or if you'd work. lf you

weren't a bunch of lazy bastards

But l... l can't help myself!

l have no control over this

this evil thing inside me,

the fire, the voices, the torment!

You mean to say

that you have to murder?

lt's there all the time, driving

me out to wander the streets

following me, silently,

but l can feel it there

lt's me, pursuing myself

l want to escape, to escape

from myself! But it's impossible

l can't escape. l have to obey it.

l have to run... endless streets

l want to escape, to get away

And l'm pursued by ghosts.

Ghosts of mothers

And of those children...

They never leave me

They are there, always there...

Always, except when l do it

When l...

Then l can't remember anything

And afterwards l see those posters

and read what l've done

Did l do that? But l can't

remember anything about it

But who will believe me?

Who knows what it's like to be me?

How l'm forced to act... How l

must... Must... Don't want to

Must! Don't want to, but must!

And then... a voice screams

l can't bear to hear it

l can't go on

The accused has said that

he cannot help himself

That is to say, he has to murder.

As this is the case

he has pronounced

his own death sentence

Someone who admits to being

a compulsive murderer

should be snuffed out,

like a candle

This man must be

wiped out, eliminated

Perfect! Just what l think!

l wish to speak

The defense lawyer will speak

Our very honorable president,

who is, l believe, wanted

by the police for three murders -

That's got nothing to do with it

...claims that because my client

acts under an irresistible impulse

he is condemned to death

He is right!

He is mistaken. Because it is

that very fact that clears him

Just a minute, enough!

Mad old drunk!

ls this very obsession which

makes my client not responsible

And nobody can be punished

for something he can't help

-Ridiculous!

-Do you suggest

that this brute should get off?

l mean this man is sick.

A sick man should be handed over

not to the executioner,

but to the doctor

Can you promise he'd be cured?

What use are asylums, then?

And what would happen

if he escaped?

Yes. Or if they released him

as harmless? And what if

the compulsion to kill returns?

Another man-hunt for months

Paragraph 51 again. The asylum,

then another escape or release

Then the compulsion all over again,

and so on, and on

No one can kill a man who isn't

responsible for his actions

Not the state,

and certainly not you

The state must see that this man

becomes harmless and no longer

is a danger to his fellow citizens

You've never had children, huh?

So you haven't lost any

But if you knew what it's like

to lose one... Go ask the parents!

Ask them what those days

and nights were like when

they didn't know what had happened.

And then when they finally knew

-Ask the mothers!

-She's right!

Do you think they'll have mercy?

-She's right.

-l'll say she is

-No mercy! No pardon!

-Give the murderer to us

Kill the beast!

-Crush the brute!

-Kill him! Beat him!

All that won't silence me

l won't allow a crime to be

committed in my presence

l demand that this man...

that this man be granted

the protection of the law

l demand that this man be

handed over to the police

-To the police!

-Filthy stooge

ln the name of the law

ln the name of the people

This won't bring back

our children

We, too, should keep a closer

watch on our children

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